Apparatus for developing of paper photo copies



March 28, 1944. E. DUTCH 2,344,941

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING OF PAPER PHOTO COPIES Filed Dec. 14, 1940 9.\\\\ \\\g ll 'l8 l9 I9 233 A INVENT OI? Patented Mar. 28, 1944 APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING OF PAPER PHOTO COPIES Emery Dutch, Bronx, N. Y.

Application December 14, 1940, Serial No. 370,165

\ '1 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable and at-,

tachable developi apparatus for processing of exposed paper photo copies in sheets and in continuous strips.

The object of this invention is to provide a new automatic and continuous developing mechanism for light sensitive papers known as day light hoto copy papers which can be introduced into t e apparatus either at subdued day or artificial light and for high sensitive photo copy papers, which can be introduced under properly controlled light conditions.

The principal characteristics of this developing machine are as follows:

1st. Groups of bands moved by and around rotating cylindrical bars.

2nd. Plurality of cylindrical bars located with general uniformity on different levels.

3rd. Rotative connection of cylindrical bars and into elements of forwarding units.

4th. Assembling of three forwarding elements into identical units.

5th. The cylindrical bars of adjacent elements in each unit rotate in opposite direction.

, 6th. The cylindrical bars of the bordering elements of adjacent units rotate in the same direction.

7th. A system of parallel moving guides created by the cooperation of adjacently traveling elements of units.

8th. Arrangement of certain number of units to constitute a predetermined path and length of trave1 of the paper through developing chemicals contained by the various compartments.

9th. The passage of the paper through the elements of the units and the transit of the journeying paper between units by means of the cooperation between the linearly moving parts of guides and of the peripheral guiding action of spools operating concentrically with those cylindrical bars, which are located on the extreme levels.

10th. A method which uses intermittent guiding throughout the whole developing process, between the phases of the motion of the journeying photo copy paper.

11th. Four successive phases of the traveling constitute a completed cycle within one and each unit of the apparatus.

12th. Self-containing forwarding mechanism, removable in its entirety from th housing which contains the tank, "compartmentsof the various chemicalsand motor, which operates the above characterized mechanism.

For visualization of the above described Droperties of the apparatus, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing should be referred to:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectionpof the apparatus, showing the arrangement of units and elements thereof, the guided paper at various locations, the cylindrical bar bearing side wall, partition wall between the chemical containing tanks and compartments, of which only two are shown, because it is not essential to show more for the understanding of principles and operation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a transversal section of the apparatus showing the corresponding elements represented by Fig. 1 in elevation and indicating moving mechanism. It is to be noted that the measure of the breadth of the guiding bands and spools are not influential'characteristics of the apparatus--discs and strings may substitute those or be mixed with them. On the drawing, different dotted lines indicate those endless bands, which connect the rotating grooved cylindrical bars of the The beginning of the journey of the processable photo copy I starts by its insertion into and through the slot' 5 towards the receiving zone 24 of the first unit A, B, C, composed of aligning bands 2, 3 of the first and second elements A, B on the upper cylindrical bar .6 of the first element of the starting A, B, C unit of the apparatus. The leading action of the traveling band 3 just unreeling from ,the top cylindrical bar I of the second element B of the Starting unit thrusts the inserted paper I to the top cylindrical bar t of the first element A and betweenthe aligning bands 2, 3 of A and B elements of this unit. The continuous contact caused by the combined traveling and'thrusting action of the band I with the simultaneous rotation of the bar 6 and immediately after the straightline guiding and gripping on the paper of the aligned bands 2, 3 draws the paper through the first phase of its itinerary cycle into the processing liquids contained by the tank 8.

As the supported and guided paper's leadinglower bars I0, ll of B and C elements of the unit. As the leading edge of the paper reaches the moving endless band I5 oi. C element, the leading action of this band forces the paper I to the lower bar 9 of the B element and between the realigning strings 3, I5 of B and C elements, these bands 3, I5 guiding and leadingthe paper during the third phase of its traveling cycle in a motion-general1y opposite to the direction of the motion of the first phase.

As the leading edge of the traveling paper reaches last common tangent line on the top bar II of C element which is the discharging line of the unit, the previously guiding and leading bands 3, I5 of B and C elements disalign themselves from each other and as endless belts, they continue to move on their prearranged courses, as indicated by the diflerent dotted lines. In the meanwhile, the progressing P per I, with its leading edge, changes the direction of its course into the fourth phase of its itinerary cycle-a forward transversal direction-under the momentarily guiding and shoving action of spool I9, located on the top I8 bar of element B of this unit. The leading edge of the travelling p per I will now leave the discharging zone 26 of the first unit, described hereinbefore, and will continue its travel to the receiving zone 24 of a similar second unit; and will then travel through successive units where similar elements taking part in the receiving and forwarding of the paper will have similar actions thereon as has been described for the first cycle within the first or starting unit.

Endless conveying belts 2|, 22 are applied to extreme top bars I8, 23 and I1 and 6, respectively of bordering units to supplement discs and to guide the paper to the receiving zone 24 of the succeeding unit.

After completing the prearranged uniform cycles of its journey, the paper I leaves the ap- Daratus in the same manner as it has been discharged from a preceding unit into a succeeding unit, as shown on Fig. 1 between the first or receiving unit and second unit.

For the operation of the apparatus, cylindrical bars Ii, I, I1, I! of the first unit and the similarly located bars of other units between bearing plates 33, 34, are coupled to gears 30, 3 I, so as to operate in unison with uniform velocity ,from a suitable source of motive power applied to driving shaft 29. Cylindrical bars, 9, I0 and similarly located bars of each forwarding unit, may be driven by the endless beltings 2, 3 unreeling from direct driven cylindrical bars 6, I, I1, I8, alone or by additional directly connected gears driven by chain or any other reliable means, always with equal speed and in unison with rotating cylindrical bars of each forwarding unit of the apparatus.

The hereinbei'ore description is to illustrate the embodiment and operation of my invention and is to be understood, that changes and variations may be made in the construction, details thereof, and I hereby reserve all my rights to any and all such changes as are within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a device, for carrying a sheet material, like paper, through a processing operation, having a tank and a processing liquid therein, and upper and lower rotating rollers setperpendicularly to the direction 'of the travel of the sheet through the device. and a center and two outer endless loops of a flexible material formed around said rollers, the two outer loops moving in one direc-- tion, as clockwise. and the center loop in the opposite direction, as anti-clockwise, the adjacent webs of the center and the respective outer loops moving. in one pair of webs in one direction, as downwardly, and in the other pair of webs in the other direction, as upwardly, the sheet material to be carried through the device being fed at one end between one pair of said adjacent webs, being carried by them in one direction and then being carried in the other direction by the other pair of webs, disks on the lower rollers of said outer loops rotating therewith and being of larger diameters than said rollers, to direct the travelling sheet from between one pair of webs into the other pair of webs.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, a plurality of spaced apart sets of outer and center loops arranged on said rollers.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said center and outer loops being in different planes.

4. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said center and outer loops being in diiferent planes, the lower roller for said center loop being set higher than the lower rollers for said outer loops, leaving a free space at the paper travel turning end of the device, the paper being fed by said first pair of webs into said space and being received on and directed by said disks between said up-going pair of webs. if

5. In a device, for carrying a sheet material, like paper, through a processing operation, having a tank and a processing liquid therein, and upper and lower rotating rollers set perpendicularly to the direction of the travel of the sheet through the device, and a center and two outer endless loops of a flexible material formed around said rollers, the two outer loops moving in one direction, as clockwise-and the center loop in the opposite direction, as anti-clockwise, and the adjacent webs of the center and the respective outer loops moving in one pair of webs in one direction, as downwardly, and in the other pair of webs in the other direction, as upwardly, the sheet material to be carried through the device being fed at one end between one pair of said adjacent webs, being carried by them in one direction, and then being carried in the other direction by the other pair of webs, disks on an upper roller for said center loop, rotating therewith and being of larger diameter, adapted to direct the sheet of paper emerging from the second pair of webs outwardly in a desired direction.

6. In a device, for carrying a sheet material, like paper, through a processing operation, having a tank and a processing liquid therein, and upper and lower rotating rollers set perpendicularly to the direction of the travel of the sheet through the device, and a center and two outer. endless loops of a flexible material formed around said rollers, the two outer loops moving in one direction, as clockwise, and the center loop in the opposite direction, as anti-clockwise, and the adjacent webs of the center and the respective outer loops moving in one pair of webs in one direction, as downwardly, and in the other pair of webs in the other direction, as upwardly, the sheet material to be carried through the device being fed at one end between one pair of said adjacent webs, being carried by them in one direction, and then being carried in the other direction by the other pair of webs, disks on an upper roller for said center loop, rotating therewith and being of larger diameter, adapted to direct the sheet of paper emerging from the second pair of webs outwardly in a desired direction, a second tank, with a set of rollers and loops, adjacent to the delivery end of said firsttank, a flexible loop around and rotating with the adjacent upper rollers in the adjacent outer loops in, said two tanks, said disks directing the sheet of paper on said last mentioned loop whereby the same will be carried to the feeding end of the loops in said second tank.

7. In a device for carrying a sheet material, like paper, through a processing operation, having a tank and a processing liquid therein, and upper and lower rotating rollers set perpendicularly to the direction of the travel of thesheet through the device, and a center and two outer endless loopsof a flexible material formed around said rollers, the two outer loops 'moving in one direction, as clockwise, and the center loop in the opposite direction, as anti-clockwise, and the adjacent webs of the center and the respective outer loops moving in one pair of webs in one direction, as downwardly, and in the other pair of webs in the other direction, as upwardly, the sheet material to be carried through the device paper on said transferring loop between the adjacent webs, being carried by them in one direction, and then being carried in the other direction by the other pair of webs, disks on an upper roller for said center loop, rotating therewith and being of larger diameter, adapted to direct the sheet of paper emerging from the second pair of webs outwardly in a desired direction, ,a second tank, with a set of rollers and loops, adjacent to tanks intosaid feeding end.

EMERY DUTCH.

being fed at one end between one pair of said 

